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Featured Threads Archive
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ERV (Electric Recreational Vehicle)
I've long thought this could make a lot of sense. Lots of high powered plugs at most camp grounds. But a little more range would be good. And ditch the solar panels on the side. Not worth the additional prime bump.
Electric motorhomes are coming: a new RV powered by solar panels and 91 kWh battery pack | Electrek -
When 10 MPG wins a contest
Source: http://m.fleetowner.com/ideaxchange/fleets-still-improving-mpg-study-shows#
We asked fleets about their use of 85 different technologies and practices that improve fuel economy. Based on their adoption of some of these technologies — each fleet selects its own combination of technologies and no fleet can use all 85 — they saw a 1% increase in fuel economy in 2016 compared to 2015.
Combined these fleets reached an average fuel economy of 7.11 mpg compared to the average U.S. fleet. Keep in mind that 7.11 is an average fuel economy number; 2017 model trucks operated by those fleets achieved 7.8 to 9.2 mpg and some even approached 10 mpg.
What reaching 7.11 MPG means in dollars and cents is a combined savings of nearly $500,000,000 or $3,874 per year per truck with fuel at $2.34 a gallon.
Think about that. $3,874 per truck per year. That’s a significant savings for those... -
Is Tesla revisiting Battery Swaps?
Tesla just got a patent on battery swap technology. That could provide a quick "fill-up" for a self-driving car.
Tesla Secures Patent For Battery Swap Technology | CleanTechnica -
Samsung Modular Battery for EV's
I think this has potential. I like it even more if the end user can adjust how many battery packs they want on any given trip. Could make shorter range trips much more efficient.
Samsung's New Car Battery Works Like 'Books on a Shelf' | News & Opinion | PCMag.com -
Honda Clarity Plug-in
Source: 2018 Honda Clarity: Honda's new plug-in gets 47 miles of pure electric range
Honda ... 2018 Clarity Plug-in Hybrid. It can go 47 miles on a single charge. When it arrives in dealerships later this year, the Clarity will boast an EPA fuel economy of 110 combined mpg-e, with a gas-only city rating of 44 and 40 highway with a combined 42 mpg. . . .
"We think the combination of a class-leading 47 miles of all-electric driving range rating and a large five-passenger package will give us an advantage in the plug-in hybrid game," said Ray Mikiciuk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co.
The Clarity will withstand a road trip.... -
New high-power hybrid option in all Toyota hybrids
At first I thought that C-HR Hy-Power CONCEPT is only a design change that will be shown on Frankfurt motor show, but apparently there is also some form of tune up to the 1.8 hybrid system:
New high-power hybrid powertrainTOYOTA C-HR Hy-Power CONCEPT
The concept has been designed around the use of a new hybrid powertrain that offers more power and performance than the 122 DIN hp system featured in the current production Toyota C-HR. This reflects a significant and strategic future development of Toyota’s world-leading technology that will higher performance hybrid options being made available in all its core models. More details regarding this expansion of hybrid will be revealed early in 2018.
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Apparently all models will get a tuned up version of hybrid system, will they do... -
North American battery conference in Michigan
Sorry, for the late notice. I found it in my inbox just now.
Source: The Battery Show : Conference Agenda 2017
The $700 one-day pass is a little rich but there are 'free' exhibition hall passes.
GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson -
Green Drive Get-Together
Hey everyone! There is a gathering this weekend in Madison, WI for National Drive Electric Week. A lot of us are staying at the Clarion next to the Alliant energy center, but there will be free charging for vehicles, and if everyone registers a room under the group name "Green Drive Reunion", you'll get a cheaper rate. ($119.00 v.s. $179.00). The hotel also has a social hour with free beer, wine, and snacks.
We are planning on meeting Friday evening at the Clarion where everyone can mingle for a bit and catch up, and forming a hybrid/EV convoy to Quaker Steak.
There will also be different events going on in Madison for NDEW this weekend that we plan to go to.
If you're interested, feel free to call the hotel and reserve, (608-284-1234) or if you want to come but not stay at the same hotel, that's fine too. The more the merrier! I'm expecting 10-15 people so far. Hoping to keep growing! -
0W-16 Oil coming
Come to find out 0W-16 has been around for a while, mainly in Japan, but its use in the Camry and Camry hybrid is the first I've heard of it. : The engine is a 2.5-liter inline four that has variable valve timing, runs on the Atkinson cycle, and has a near-diesel 14.0:1 compression ratio. It also uses a new super lightweight 0w16 grade oil that further reduces internal friction and losses.
Here's an interesting Q&A with a couple of Japanese "oil guys" about this spec: The Skinny on OW-16 Oil - National Oil & Lube News
So we tested a Honda Fit on a dynamometer. The 0W-16 showed an improvement in fuel economy by 2 percent when compared to 0W-20.
NOLN: What are some of the concerns about 0W-16 oils?
Miyamoto: [Some may be worried that] lowering viscosity might cause increased wear or a pressure issue.
Takahashi: Those were concerns with having such a low viscosity oil, but with more than 15 years... -
Ford Transit plug-in hybrid
Source: Ford Transit Custom PHEV Being Tested By Fleets In London
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The Ford Transit Custom PHEV uses an advanced pure series hybrid system offering 50 kilometers (31 miles) of battery-only range. A 1.0-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine is coupled with an electric motor for a total range of 500 km (310 miles).Perfect replacement for our BMW i3-REx ... same architecture. Just the thing to make into an RV.
Bob Wilson -
Wisconsin yet again moving to add a special tax for Prius hybrids and plug ins
I'm quoting from bluesight and metrompg but in any event the republican Wisconsin legislators are once again making legislation to penalize hybrids, vehicles with start stop and plug ins.
The law started as a $150 up charge for BEVs only and every day gets changed to add more vehicles, last I saw it was reduced to $100 but is moving to become the "Prius tax" again.
An old version of the bill is here
2017 Assembly Bill 478
My sentiments are stated well below so I'm quoting but please write your letter to the editor on this issue...
This may seem counterintuitive, but "traditional" hybrid owners should raise a holy stink that they are being lumped in with plug-ins and EVs. While this appears to play in to the hands of folks that like to divide and conquer, like the WI governor and majority legislators, the only way to implement this punitive tax is to require the larger pool of traditionals to be lumped in with the... -
Heartland Comment in Detroit News
Source: Middle class bearing Tesla subsidy
When the sale of its 200,000th vehicle occurs later this year, Tesla buyers will no longer be able to claim a $7,500-per-vehicle federal tax credit for purchasing one. But fear not! California’s climate-crazy legislature is coming to the rescue.
Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislators plan to pass a $3 billion electric vehicle (EVs) subsidy to replace the soon-to-end federal rebate. Under California’s generous program, electric vehicle buyers could soon receive up to $40,000 to buy’s Tesla’s most expensive models.
Despite the federal government having provided a $465 million low-interest loan for Tesla to develop a cheap electric vehicle in 2009 and the billions of dollars in tax credits given to buyers, Tesla has continued to turn out $110,000 luxury cars designed for and marketed to millionaires. Those buyers... -
Uber ending diesels in London
Source: Uber to stop using diesel cars in London by end 2019 | Reuters
LONDON (Reuters) - Uber [UBER.UL] will cease using diesel cars in London by the end of 2019 and the vast majority of rides will be in electric or hybrid vehicles by then, the taxi app said on Friday.
At the moment the company says around half of all the journey miles completed in the British capital are undertaken with greener vehicles on the firm’s standard low-cost UberX service, which lets customers book journeys on their smartphone.
Several carmakers have announced plans in recent months to electrify a large proportion of their new cars, with Volvo [GEELY.UL] becoming the first major carmaker to set a date for phasing out vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine.
. . .
Perhaps Toyota might reconsider some of their product mixes in the UK.... -
Hurricane Harvey losses
From what I've read, Hurricane Harvey has damaged over 500,000 automobiles. I am one of the few that lost my 2012 Prius Gen 4. It was my first Prius and only had it for a year. I bought it in August 2016 with around 25,000 miles on it and it flooded August 2017 with around 43,000 miles on it. It was practically brand new. Here are a few images. My car had at the most maybe 1.5 feet of water in it. Oh, and my parents lost their Prius also. Who else lost their Prius?
Posted via the PriusChat mobile app. -
Dashboard summary August 2017
Another excellent report by Jeff Cobb's team: August 2017 Dashboard
model 08/15/17 07/15/17 06/15/17 05/15/17 1 Prius Liftback 6043 6034 5476 6064 2 RAV4 5128 4695 3709 4070 3 Fusion Hybrid 4623 2191 5697 5671 4 Transit Diesel 3560 1299 3789 4830 5 Sierra Hybrid 3128 6 Niro Hybrid 2677 2763 2188 2660 7 Accord Hybrid 2162 2007 1799 1976 8 Bolt 2107 1971 1642 1566 9 Model S 2100 1500 2200 1700 10 Prius Prime 1820 1645 1619 1908 11 Model X 1700 1400 2100 1800 12 Volt 1445 1518 1745 1817 13 Highlander Hybrid 1419 1528 1478 1514 14 Camry Hybrid 1284 1290 1355 1711 15 Leaf 1154 1283 1506 1392 16 Ioniq Hybrid 1093 1209 1348 1752 17 C-Max Hybrid 1009 995 966 880 18 Prius C 853 868 867 1121 19 RX 400 / 450 h 852 806 655 747 20 Prius V 835 837 773 929 21 Sonata 762 739 741 848 22 Fusion Energi 762 703 707 1000 23 Colorado Diesel 750 1021 784 666 24 C-Max Energi 705 844 936 950 25 ES Hybrid 636 598 481 467 26 MKZ 548 435 428 588 27 i3 504 601 567 506 28 Avalon... -
Wards on GM engine
Source: http://wardsauto.com/engines/gen-ii-chevy-volt-propulsion-system-shockingly-good?NL=WAW-04&Issue=WAW-04_20170830_WAW-04_397&cl=article_1&utm_rid=CPENT000000095975&utm_campaign=13788&utm_medium=email&elq2=5984860415644611946874de08787855
Most observers agree that General Motors missed a prime opportunity after its innovative battery-electric EV1 failed in the marketplace in the late-1990s.
After that setback, it jumped right past gasoline-electric parallel hybrids to more expensive “2-mode” hybrids intended primarily for trucks, and much longer-term fuel-cell research while... -
Used traction batteries
I was disappointed to see someone post about the 'environmental impact of worn out traction batteries'. But I also realized I didn't have ready citations in part because such claims had faded but here is one from Hybridcars.com:
Renault and Connected Energy Bringing Second-Life EV Battery Storage to Europe
Groupe Renault has installed two quick charging stations in Belgium and Germany with partner, UK-based Connected Energy. It’s the starting point of installing the E-STOR energy storage technology on highways in Europe.
E-STOR was developed by Connected Energy to offer all the benefits of stored energy, say the companies.
Renault is a top seller of battery electric vehicles in Europe, and will have access to a plentiful supply of used lithium-ion battery packs. Where will they get them? They’ll comes from the Renault Zoe, Kangoo Z.E., Twizy, Fluence... -
TSS-P cuts accidents in half
Source: Toyota Announces Toyota Safety Sense and ICS Safety Support Technologies that Together Reduce Rear-End Collisions by 90% | TOYOTA Global Newsroom
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I've already contacted my insurance agent to find out if I'm going to get an insurance discount. Starting in September, I'll be contacting the usual suspects and ask them for quotes.
Bob Wilson -
CA Support for EVs
Source: Should California spend $3 billion to help people buy electric cars? - LA Times
...
. . .
In 2016, of the just over 2 million cars sold in the state, only 75,000 were pure-electric and plug-in hybrid cars. To date, out of 26 million cars and light trucks registered in California, just 315,000 are electric or plug-in hybrids.
The California Legislature is pushing forward a bill that would double down on the rebate program. Sextuple down, in fact.
If $449 million can’t do it, the thinking goes, maybe $3 billion will.
That’s the essence of the plan that could lift state rebates from $2,500 to $10,000 or more for a compact electric car, making, for example, a Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car cost the same as a gasoline-driven Honda Civic.
. . .
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